This invention relates generally to support apparatus. More particularly, this invention relates to support apparatus particularly useful, by way of example and not by way of limitation, for supporting equipment typically found on the top of a building, or in direct contact with the ground. Still more particularly, this invention relates to support apparatus, which may be grounded to provide a ground for the supported equipment.
Telecommunication receivers/transmitters, and other equipment, radio broadcasting equipment, antennae, wave guides, falling-ice guards, walkways, electric wiring raceways, heating/cooling equipment, ductwork, piping, and other equipment are commonly located on the tops or roofs of buildings. Support apparatus are required to support such equipment on the building roofs or tops and preferably the support apparatus distributes the weight or load from such equipment over more than one area or location to prevent the occurrence of point loads with their attendant localized stresses which can cause damage to the building roof systems or tops. Further such equipment may require grounding to protect the equipment against lightning strikes or other transient high-voltage power surges produced by or to which the equipment may be subjected. Further, equipment in need of support, or in need of support and grounding, may be located beside buildings, on top of water tanks, or on raw land sites, at petrochemical plants, offshore drilling rig platforms, electrical transformer locations, highway lighting installations, satellite uplink and downlink stations. Additionally, support apparatus, which may or may not be grounded, is needed for supporting oil, gas and water pipes, acid carrying pipes, dry powder conveying apparatus, high and low voltage electrical transmission lines and chemical lines. The above is set forth merely by way of example and should not be construed as limiting the application of the support apparatus of the present invention.
Importantly, groundable support apparatus are needed to connect the supported equipment directly to a ground field, ground leads, or ground rods to create an equi-potential ground field. This is particularly useful in protecting the supported equipment against the above-noted lightning strikes or other transient high voltage power surges. Further, support apparatus are needed to support equipment of the type noted generally above which allows the supported equipment to expand or move due to thermal expansion, wind forces, water loading such as water flowing over a roof, and which support apparatus can support such equipment without causing damage to the roof membrane upon which the support apparatus resides or the underlying insulating material, such as in the above-noted building roofing systems.
As is further known, the telecommunication industry is currently engaged in installing innumerable transmission and receiving sites across the United States and worldwide. Typically these sites involve the construction of a tower with antennae attached to receive and send cellular and digital signals. The tower holds the actual antennae connected by wires and cabling to the transmission and broadcasting equipment located at the base of the tower. In many instances, multiple antennae will be attached to a singular tower, each requiring its own cabling, transmission and broadcasting equipment, and associated tower cabinets. Such transmission and broadcasting equipment, and their associated power cabinets, battery back-up cabinets and electrical switchgear, are typically mounted on a steel platform attached to a concrete pier or base. Support apparatus of the type noted above are needed to support this equipment and additional equipment may be used to provide a ground for such equipment if desired or required.
As is further known, commonly on commercial buildings or on raw land sites for new equipment installations and co-locations of equipment on rooftops and raw land sites can be structures upon which the above-noted telecommunication transmission and receiving equipment is installed. Such equipment is typically subjected to various elements, forces and stresses. These forces over time may damage the equipment itself or the surface structures if no counter measures are taken. Equipment that is placed on the ground or fastened to concrete slabs is subjected to faulty grounding technique, ambient temperature retention, and degradation of the cabinets caused by ponding water. Some of the forces that affect roof top equipment include thermal expansion and cooling cycles, building deflection, wind loading, and loading and stress forces associated with rain, snow and ice. In particular, problems can arise when apparatus supporting such equipment is permanently attached to the roof, such as by the use of screws or similar penetrating devices, or by adhering it directly to the roof membrane with adhesives. Over time, the combination of relative motion due to various external forces and differences in coefficients of thermal expansion between the roof and the apparatus supporting such equipment can result in the breakdown of the roof or roof support system. Re-roofing practices are made difficult with equipment that is fixed or attached to the rooftop. Support apparatus for such equipment is needed to overcome this equipment support problem.
The support apparatus of the present invention satisfies the support apparatus needs noted above for grounding and supporting equipment of the types noted above and also the support apparatus of the present invention may be grounded to provide a ground for such supported equipment.
More particularly, support apparatus of the present invention may include a base, a receptacle for receiving and supporting an object, such as the above-noted equipment, a plurality of spaced apart buttresses connected to the base and receptacle, the buttresses mount the receptacles perpendicularly with respect to the base and spaced outwardly therefrom to cause force received by the receptacle from the supported object, such as the above-noted equipment, to be transferred and distributed to different portions of the base by the buttresses. The number of buttresses included on a base is dependent on the amount of weight to be distributed. At least a portion of the base may be made of electrically conductive material and provided with a ground connector for being connected to ground by a ground lead to provide a ground connection for the supported equipment. The ground lead may be sufficiently strong so as to secure the support apparatus to a retaining structure for security or seismic risks.